“The Lottery”

“The Lottery”

By Shirley Jackson

The objective point of view contributes a lot to the meaning of the story.  It also plays a role in the situational irony.  The objective stance of the narrator means that there is no emotional tone, sense of morality, or judgment in the telling of the events.  This forces the reader to pay close attention to the attitudes and emotions of the characters to determine the tone of the event.

In the case of “The Lottery,” the reader is led to believe that the story will have a positive tone, because the word “lottery” has a positive connotation and implies the receiving of money or a prize.  The fact that the narrator does not refute this positive assumption with a negative tone or judgment leads to the situational irony.  The reader expects a positive response to the winning of the lottery, but that is not what happens.  When Mrs. Hutchinson realized that her husband had drawn the marked paper for their family, she immediately protested.  “Suddenly, Tessie Hutchinson shouted to MR. Summers. ‘You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair’” (Jackson, 269).  At this point the reader still may not realize what is so awful about the lottery because the narrator has yet to suggest a problem with it or display any moral objection through tone or other characters besides Tessie.  At the end, the result of the lottery is spelled out: “A stone hit her on the side of the head” (Jackson, 271).

This matter-of-fact statement elicits shock from the reader but also displays how little the townspeople care about the horrible violence.  It is a tradition, the feel no moral wrong, and so they continue on.  The objective point of view helps show the townspeople’s complete lack of moral and common sense.

This seemingly innocent pile
of stones soon turns deadly